You probably started the process of buying your home in Sarasota buying process in one of two ways: either you saw a Sarasota home for sale that you were interested in buying or you conferred with a lender to discern how much money to borrow before finding a Sarasota home (also known as pre-qualifying). The subsequent step in the process is signing an agreement of sale with the seller, which is followed by applying for a loan to purchase a new home. The final step of the home buying process is known as “settlement” or “closing,” where the legal property title is transferred to your name. Everyone actually has the opportunity of negotiating the terms and conditions, as well as the costs, to their advantage at each step of the home buying process. This article highlights these beneficial opportunities. It will take the reader through the essential steps of buying a home, with the primary aim of surfacing out the mysteries that lurk across the settlement process.

A Sarasota real estate agent or broker is usually the first person that an interested home buyer seeks advice from. In the Sarasota housing market, as with any other real estate market in general, sellers commonly hire the service of brokers to find them people to buy the home that they are selling under terms and conditions that are acceptable to them. Most likely, the Sarasota real estate broker one is dealing with may also represent the seller. What some new home buyers do not know is that they can hire their own Sarasota real estate broker, commonly known as buyer’s broker, to represent instead their interests as a buyer.

But even if the Sarasota real estate broker represents the seller, Florida real estate licensing laws that are operating across Sarasota require that the broker treat buyers fairly. This can be verified by contacting the Sarasota real estate commission or licensing department.

Sometimes, the real estate broker will offer to help a buyer in applying for a mortgage loan. The broker may also suggest dealing with a particular lender, a title company, and attorney or settlement agent. Just put in mind that buyers are not required to follow the broker’s suggestions. The wise mode of action would be to compare the costs and services offered by other providers with those recommended by the real estate broker.

Before signing a contract of sale, one might consider inquiring an attorney to read it over to reveal if it protects the interests of the buyer. Nevertheless, for those who have already signed the contract, requesting an attorney to review it is still possible. Attorneys can also help prepare for the settlement. Within Sarasota, attorneys serve as settlement agents or as escrow agents to handle the settlement. However, such an attorney does not solely represent the interests of a buyer because as settlement agent the attorney also represents the interests of the seller, the lender and others. For those who are searching and choosing an attorney, find out whether a particular one is experienced enough in representing home buyers.